Protect and share your files online with Microsoft’s SkyDrive

Using multiple computers? No problem. Store and access your personal files online through Microsoft’s SkyDrive, a password-protected online file storage service. The service allows you to share with friends, co-workers, or family and even allows updating by all in a shared folder. If you want to share your ideas with a larger crowd, you can share them in a public folder that only you can update. If you just want a place online to store your stuff, SkyDrive offers personal, password-protected folders. SkyDrive is a great way to share files instantly and also works everywhere where you have Internet Explorer and an Internet connection.

We put SkyDrive to the test and have to say that it makes organization easier, with personal folders named according to the folder names in my Documents in Windows.

{ad}With a Live ID already existing and active, I was able to successfully login and access the SkyDrive with relative ease. You are given two sections: personal folders and public folders. Personal folders include Documents, Music, Pictures, and Videos. There are also areas for shared folders and public folders that the world can see. Also, private content can be stored in your personal folders and SkyDrive enables the ability to share your public folder content with other SkyDrive users.

Here’s how the sharing works: files can only be shared with other SkyDrive users. Those users can be designated as “readers” with no file-modification or adding rights, or as “editors”, with full file-adding and modifying rights.

SkyDrive is currently limited to storing 5GB, which puts it on par with AOL’s XDrive service and box.net’s 5GB of free online storage. While the service does offer 5GB, it’s limited to 50MB per file (while uploading).

The biggest advantages that I’ve found so far are that the SkyDrive service is pop-up free and does not stream too many ads. I also like the ability to bookmark recently visited folders on-the-fly. This way you can easily access your friend’s public folders later on.

There is already a lot of competition in the online file storage market. One thing Microsoft should do is up the size limit of 50MB per file, as the current limitation could be frustrating for video enthusiasts. On the flip side, Microsoft can actually leverage this service by coupling and venturing Zune, SkyDrive & Live Spaces; Zune with SkyDrive would enable Users to share playlists info with their friends in Live Spaces.

On May 22, Microsoft introduced the second update this year to SkyDrive, adding new functionality but also opening up the free online storage service to more markets around the world (around 62 countries). This time the focus was to deliver richer user experiences and an increased level of social interaction. At the same time, the latest Windows Live SkyDrive took not just interaction, but also sharing, organizing and navigation to the next level. Changes included commenting on files, recent comments sections, file descriptions, and improved navigation. The updates introduced to Windows Live SkyDrive also manage to resolve bugs that end users have reported and, in this regard, the overall experience of the service is much improved.

I can only assume that Microsoft will continue to enhance this offering, and if their track record for updates is any indicator, they should have a category killer in no time.

Speak Your Mind

bookofzero

What's going on with geek.com? 1/2 of your stories are months old and then show "Sorry, no content" when you click on the link for the story. That and what happened to keeping the opinion part of the artical separate from the article? This is a cross between a press release and an advertisement. "I can only assume that Microsoft will continue to enhance this offering, and if their track record for updates is any indicator, they should have a category killer in no time." Personally, the idea of keeping my personal information in Micro$oft's hands scares me.

vikramaditya

Then what are you thinking of when you use Google to Search, Google Checkout to get the 10$ discount, google reader to know your RSS preferences and more?